U.S. patent number 7,857,329 [Application Number 12/133,395] was granted by the patent office on 2010-12-28 for service cart.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Hong Fu Jin Precision (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to You-Hua Cai.
United States Patent |
7,857,329 |
Cai |
December 28, 2010 |
Service cart
Abstract
A service cart (100) includes a supporting frame (10) and a
fixing shelf (20) secured to the supporting frame and a movable
shelf (30). The movable shelf is movably secured to the supporting
frame and located below the fixing shelf. The movable shelf can
move horizontally relative to the supporting frame to extend out of
the supporting frame a distance from any of two opposite lateral
sides of the service cart.
Inventors: |
Cai; You-Hua (Shenzhen,
CN) |
Assignee: |
Hong Fu Jin Precision (ShenZhen)
Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, CN)
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (Tu-Cheng, Taipei
Hsien, TW)
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Family
ID: |
40797241 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/133,395 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20090166991 A1 |
Jul 2, 2009 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 29, 2007 [CN] |
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2007 10 203582 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
280/47.35;
211/134 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B
3/04 (20130101); A47B 31/00 (20130101); B62B
2202/67 (20130101); B62B 2203/073 (20130101); A47B
2031/004 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62B
3/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;280/35,47.34,47.35,79.11,79.2 ;108/158.12,12,26,57.15
;248/128,129,298.1
;211/43,46,126.1,126.15,134,151,153,162,181.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Shriver, II; J. Allen
Assistant Examiner: Meyer; Jacob
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Niranjan; Frank R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A service cart comprising: a supporting frame; a fixing shelf
secured to the supporting frame; two guideways respectively fixed
at two opposite sides of the supporting frame, wherein each of the
guideways is enclosed by an elongated first slideway and an
elongated angle iron, the first slideway has a U-shaped cross
section and an open side oriented toward the fixing shelf, and the
angle iron has an L-shaped cross section with an open side oriented
away from the fixing shelf and is coupled to the open side of the
first slideway; and a movable shelf movably mounted to the
supporting frame and located below the fixing shelf, wherein the
movable shelf comprises two second slideways respectively formed at
two opposite sides thereof, and the two second slideways are
respectively movably engaged in the two guideways and can move
horizontally along the guideways to extend out of the supporting
frame along any of two opposite directions of the service cart.
2. The service cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the
guideways comprises two pulleys pivotally secured at two ends of
the first slideway thereof, respectively, each second slideway
comprises a pulley pivotally secured in a midway thereof, and the
pulley of the each second slideway is located between and moveable
between the pulleys of the first slideway of a corresponding
guideway.
3. The service cart as claimed in claim 2, wherein each second
slideway defines two holes corresponding to the pulleys of the
first slideway of the corresponding guideway for partly receiving
the pulleys of the first slideway, and the first slideway of each
of the guideways defines a hole in a midway corresponding to the
pulley of a corresponding second slideway for partly receiving the
pulley of the corresponding second slideway therein.
4. The service cart as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a
second movable shelf, wherein the fixing shelf, the movable shelve,
and the second movable shelve are secured to the supporting frame
in order along a vertical direction from a top to a bottom.
5. The service cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting
frame comprises four vertical posts and at least one connecting
rack connecting the posts together.
6. The service cart as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one
connecting rack has a rectangular configuration and comprises four
steel bars and four steel loops at four corners respectively, and
the steel bars connected by the steel loops cooperatively define
the rectangular configuration.
7. A service cart comprising: a supporting frame having four posts
spaced from each other and at least one connecting rack connecting
the posts together; a fixing shelf secured to a top portion of the
supporting frame and over the at least one connecting rack; two
first slideways respectively fixed at two opposite sides of the at
least one connecting rack, each of the first slideways comprising
an elongated horizontal side, and inner and outer vertical sides
respectively extending up from inner and outer lateral edges of the
horizontal side towards the fixing shelf, the inner and outer
vertical sides cooperatively enclosing a groove opening upwardly;
at least one movable shelf movably secured to the at least one
connecting rack of the supporting frame, the at least one movable
shelf comprising two second slideways respectively formed at two
opposite sides thereof and movably engaged in the grooves of the
first slideways, wherein the at least one movable shelf can move
horizontally relative to the at least one connecting rack of the
supporting frame to move out of the supporting frame a distance
along any of two opposite side directions of the service cart.
8. The service cart as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one
connecting rack has a rectangular configuration and comprises four
steel bars and four steel loops at four corners respectively, and
the steel bars connected by the steel loops cooperatively define
the rectangular configuration.
9. The service cart as claimed in claim 8, wherein the steel loops
each define a through hole for a corresponding one of the posts to
extend therethrough.
10. The service cart as claimed in claim 8, wherein two ends of the
outer vertical side of each first slideway are respectively secured
to outer surfaces of two steel loops.
11. The service cart as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an
L-shaped angle iron, coupled to each first sildeway to form a
guideway, the angle iron comprising a first elongated wall secured
to the outer vertical side of the first slideway and a second
elongated wall over the groove.
12. The service cart as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the
guideways further comprises two pulleys pivotally securing the two
ends of the outer vertical side of the first slideway to the outer
surfaces of the two steel loops, respectively, and the second
slideway comprises a pulley pivotally secured in a midway
thereof.
13. The service cart as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second
slideway defines two holes corresponding to the pulleys of each of
the guideways for partly receiving the pulleys of a corresponding
guideway, and each of the guideways defines a hole in a midway
corresponding to the pulley of the second slideway for partly
receiving the pulley of the second slideway.
14. The service cart as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a
second connecting rack and a second movable shelf movably secured
to the second connecting rack, wherein the fixing shelf and the two
movable shelves are secured to the supporting frame in order along
a vertical direction from a top to a bottom.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a service cart, and
particularly to a service cart with horizontal storage sections
which can be drawn out of the cart a distance from both two
opposite sides of the cart.
2. Description of Related Art
Service carts are widely used to transport materials in plants,
storehouses and supermarkets by hand. The service cart generally
has a supporting frame and at least one fixing shelf horizontally
secured to the supporting frame. Furthermore, for carrying more
materials, some conventional service carts are constructed to have
a plurality of fixing shelves parallel to each other along a
vertical direction. However, it is difficult for user to access the
materials put on the fixing shelf at a middle position or a bottom
position of the supporting frame due to obstruction of the fixing
shelf at a top position, especially, when the materials are
positioned near a center of the lower fixing shelf.
What is needed, therefore, is a service cart, which can overcome
the above-mentioned disadvantage.
SUMMARY
A service cart includes a supporting frame and a fixing shelf
secured to a top of the supporting frame and a movable shelf. The
movable shelf is movably secured to the supporting frame and
located below the fixing shelf. The movable shelf can be pulled
horizontally relative to the supporting frame to extend a distance
out of the supporting frame. The movable shelf can be drawn out
along any of two opposite side directions of the service cart.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will
become more apparent from the following detailed description when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the present service cart can be better understood
with reference to the following drawings. The components in the
drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead
being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the
present service cart. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a service cart in accordance with a
first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing
movable shelves in fully inserted position;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the service cart shown in FIG. 1,
showing the movable shelves in fully extended position;
FIG. 3 is an explored, isometric of a connecting rack, one of the
movable shelves and angle irons shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of a circle IV of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, isometric view of a circle V of FIG. 3;
and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged, isometric view of a lateral side of the
movable shelf shown in FIG. 3, but shown from an opposite bottom
aspect.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a service cart 100 in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The service
cart 100 can be used to carry materials in plants, storehouses and
supermarkets. The service cart 100 comprises a supporting frame 10,
a fixing shelf 20 and two movable shelves 30. The fixing shelf 20
is secured to a top portion of the supporting frame 10. The two
movable shelves 30 are respectively, movably secured to a middle
portion and a bottom portion of the supporting frame 10. The
shelves 20, 30 are parallel to each other along a vertical
direction. The movable shelves 30 can slide in or out of the
supporting frame 10 along a horizontal direction from any of two
opposite lateral sides of the service cart 100.
The frame 10 includes four vertical posts 11 spaced from each other
and two rectangular connecting racks 13. The connecting racks 13
are used to connect the posts 11 together. A U-shaped handle 112 is
formed on a side of a top of the frame 10 by integrally, upwardly
extending ends of two posts 11 at the corresponding side. The
handle 112 is used to push or pull the service cart 100. Each of
the posts 11 has a wheel 118 pivotally secured to a bottom thereof.
Each wheel 118 can rotate within 360.degree. around the
corresponding post 11. A brake (not shown) is assembled on two of
the wheels 118 at a same side as the handle 112.
The connecting racks 13 are respectively assembled to a middle
portion and a bottom portion of the posts 11. Each connecting rack
13 has two opposite long steel bars 131, two opposite short steel
bars 132 and four steel loops 134 at four corners respectively. The
steel bars 131, 132 connected by the steel loops 134 cooperatively
enclose a rectangular configuration. The steel bars 131, 132 are
made by a plurality of steel wires. The steel bars 131 are longer
than the steel bars 132. Two adjacent steel bars 131, 132 are
soldered to an outer surface of each steel loop 134. Each steel
loop 134 has a vertical, through hole (not labeled) with a diameter
which is approximately equal to an outer diameter of the post 11.
In assembly, the posts 11 are inserted into the through holes of
the steel loops 134 of the connecting racks 13 and secured to the
steel loops 134 at required positions by a known joining method,
such as spot welding, so as to connect the posts 11 and the
connecting racks 13 together.
Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, each of the connecting racks 13
further includes two first slideways 136 at same sides as the short
steel bars 132 respectively. The first slideway 136 is a metal
bracket having an approximately U-shaped cross section. Each first
slideway 136 has two vertical sides 1364 and a horizontal side 1365
with smooth surfaces. The sides 1364, 1365 cooperatively enclose a
horizontal groove 1362 opening upwardly and laterally. Each of the
steel loops 134 has a rectangular protrusion 1342 protruding from
the outer surface thereof and located adjacent to the first
slideway 136. The protrusion 1342 has an inner plane 1343. The
vertical side 1364 of the first slideway 136 adjacent to the steel
loop 134 is securely attached to the inner plane 1343 of the
protrusion 1343 by welding. A pulley 1346 has a shaft (not labeled)
extending horizontally from the inner plane 1343 and is partly
inserted into the groove 1362. The pulley 1346 does not touch the
sides 1364, 1365 so that the pulley 1346 can rotate around the
shaft (not labeled) freely. An arched hole 1366 is defined in
mid-way of the horizontal side 1365.
Each connecting rack 13 further comprises two L-shaped angle irons
38 fixing to the first slideways 136 respectively, so as to form
two guideways 40. Each angle iron 38 is fixed to an outer one of
the vertical sides 1364 via two screws 142. When assembled, a wall
(not labeled) of the angle iron 38 is secured to the outer vertical
side 1364 and the other wall thereof is extended over the
horizontal groove 1362. Thus, a recess (not labeled) defined by the
angle iron 38 is communicated with and located above the groove
1362 of the first slideway 136. Thus, the guideway 40 is enclosed
by the first slideway 136 and the angle iron 38. The pulley 1346 is
received in the guideway 40 and also can rotate freely in the
guideway 40.
The fixing shelf 20 has a generally rectangular holding portion 22
and four edge portions 23 cooperatively enclosing the holding
portion 22. The holding portion 22 has a net shape woven by a
plurality of steel wires intersecting in rows and columns. The edge
portions 23 are similar to the steel bars 131, 132 of the
connecting rack 13. The edge portions 23 are vertically higher than
the holding portion 22 for blocking materials from rolling or
sliding out the holding portion 22. The holding portion 22 is
integrally connected with the edge portions 23 by welding. The
fixing shelf 20 further includes four steel loops 24 similar to the
steel loops 134. The fixing shelf 20 is secured to the supporting
frame 10 via the steel loops 24 secured to top ends of the posts
11.
Also referring to FIG. 6, the movable shelves 30 each have a
similar configuration to the fixing shelf 20. The movable shelf 30
has a holding portion 32 and two opposite edge portions 33
respectively similar to the holding portion 22 and the edge
portions 23. The movable shelves 30 are used to slideably engage
with the connecting racks 13. The difference between the movable
shelf 30 and the fixing shelf 20 is that two opposite sides of the
movable shelf 30 at same sides as the guideways 40 respectively are
constructed with two second slideways 35. The second slideways 35
are each formed by bending a metal bracket into an approximate L
shape. Each second slideway 35 includes two vertical sides 351, 352
and a horizontal side 353 connecting the sides 351, 352. The side
352 connecting the holding portion 32 is much higher than the side
351. The sides 351, 352, 353 cooperatively enclose a groove 350
extending along the horizontal direction. A pulley 50 is pivotally
secured to a midway of the second slideway 35. The pulley 50 can
rotate freely in the groove 350. The pulley 50 can partly fit into
the arched hole 1366 of the first slideway 136. Two arched holes
355 are defined in two ends of the horizontal side 353. The two
arched holes 355 each have a contour corresponding to a part of the
pulley 1346. The second slideway 35 can fit into the guideway 40.
The vertical sides 352 is attached to a side of the holding portion
32 by welding.
In assembly, when the movable shelves 30 are in the fully inserted
position: the grooves 350 of the second slideways 35 face downward
to the grooves 1362 of the first slideways 136 respectively, the
pulleys 50 of the second slideways 35 each abut against the
horizontal side 1365 of a corresponding one of the first slideways
136, and two ends of each second slideway 35 abut against the
pulleys 1346 of the connecting rack 13, respectively. The other
walls of the angle irons 38 each are located over a corresponding
one of the second slideways 35 for preventing the second slideways
35 from rising to disengage from the first sideways 136 when the
movable shelves 30 is pulled to slide out. The pulleys 50 of the
movable shelves 30 partly fit into the arched holes 1366,
meanwhile, the arched holes 355 partly receive the pulleys 1346 of
the connecting racks 13, so as to limit the extent that the movable
shelf 30 moves along the horizontal direction.
When the movable shelves 30 are required to move from the inserted
position: pull the long edge portion 33 so as to slip the pulleys
50 out of the arched holes 1366, meanwhile, the arched holes 355
depart from the pulleys 1346; then, the second slideways 35
supported by the pulleys 1346 slide out gradually so that the
movable shelves 30 can be moved. The movable shelves 30 can slide
along either of the horizontal directions, till the pulleys 50 abut
against the pulleys 1346 so that substantially a half of the
movable shelves 30 can extend out of the supporting frame 10. When
loading or unloading materials, the user can firstly pull out of
the movable shelves 30, then handle the materials conveniently.
Thus, the movable shelf 30 allows for easy access of the
materials.
It is believed that the present invention and its advantages will
be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be
apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of
its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely
being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *